A BJP leader was killed by Maoists in Narayanpur of insurgency-hit Bastar division on Saturday. This was eighth such murder of persons associated with the BJP this year; the party recorded a huge victory in the recently concluded assembly polls in the state.
Narayanpur police said in a statement that Komal Manjhi, a resident of Mundatikra under the Chhotedongar police station, was killed by unidentified Maoists while the deceased was returning home from Sheetla Mata Temple. Manjhi was reportedly waylaid by a group of half dozen Maoists in civilian clothes, about 2kms from the police station at around 11am on Saturday. He was taken to the forest and his throat was slit by the assailants, police said. His body was then thrown near the village along with a leaflet that accused Manjhi of illegal brokering in Amdai mines dealings. The leaflet, signed Communist Party of India (Maoist), also warned others against engaging in similar corruption.
The Narayanpur police said searches are being conducted along with ITBP forces in the nearby area.
Sources said that security was offered to Manjhi before and during the polls, but he had refused to accept it. He also refused to shift to a safe house with his family. About two dozen BJP leaders in Bastar were given security during the polls.
This year, Maoists have killed at least eight persons related to BJP. Ratan Dubey, Narayanpur district vice-president and district panchayat member, was killed during campaign in the Jhara police station area on November 4, just four days before the first phase of polling in the state. Before that, on October 20, Birju Tarem, a BJP worker was killed while going to a temple in Manpur-Mohla-Ambagarh district for Navratri celebrations. Arjun Kaka, President of the Bijapur district ST Morcha of BJP was killed on June 21 in Ursur tehsil. Ramji Dodi, a BJP leader, was killed on March 29 in Narayanpur.
Earlier, between February 5 and 11, three BJP leaders were killed. Neelkanth Kakem, mandal president of Awapalli unit of BJP was stabbed to death in Bijapur on February 5; Sagar Sahu, Vice-President of Narayanpur district BJP, was shot dead at his home on February 10 while Ramdhar Alami, BJP leader from Datewada was killed on February 11 when he was returning to his home in Hitameta village from Thultuli, a remote village in the district.
